Tripp walks into the toilet sluggishly, "Good morning," He says in-between his yawn to Maisie who's sitting on the toilet seat. She clenches her legs together the second she sees him walk in, and she stops peeing. She awkwardly rests her arms on her tighs.

After four years, she still can't get used to this. He walking in when she is using the toilet or having her bathe. Yeah, He has seen her naked a lot of times but under situations like this when she is not feeling sexy, she is not comfortable with him seeing her. 

She feels the mystery in their relationship is slipping away. Four years in and she feels like they have been together for twenty years. They aren't even married yet.

Tripp can walk around the apartment naked without a care in the world. He is so confident with his body, it intimidates Maisie.

"Good morning," Maisie says with a low voice.

Tripp turns on the tap and splashes water on his face. The cold water on his face brings him out of his sleepy state.

He then takes his toothbrush and puts toothpaste on it. He looks at himself in the mirror, runs his hand through his blonde hair as he closes the tap.

"River's party had me up all night," Tripp says turning to Maisie.

River, their neighbour and also the landlord son. He is a college student who loves to throw parties that has the residents of their crappy apartment housing awake till late hours in the morning. He never listens to complaints and neither does his father.

Lucky for Maisie, she is a deep sleeper. Once she is asleep, nothing can wake her up except the constant ringing of her alarm.

"I'll try talking to him again," Maisie says, still sitting even though she isn't peeing anymore.

"No, I'll talk to him this time," Tripp says as he starts brushing his teeth.

"Don't forget you are coming home early tonight"

Tripp turns and spits in the zinc, then tilts his face to look at Maisie. "I am?" He asks with a feeling that he is forgetting something.

"Yeah, you are. Daisy is coming today and we are all having dinner together. You haven't forgotten have you?" She asks, already worked up.

Maisie is already nervous as it is. She is torn on which meal she should make, the way she can make their small home presentable and what conversation she should initiate during dinner.

All she wants is for tonight to be perfect and she needs Tripp to be there for that to happen, He is backup. She doesn't to be left alone with Daisy.

"I haven't, but babe I am playing at the bar tonight-" Maisie sighs in frustration as Tripp starts talking. He notices this but keeps on talking. "The band that is to play this Friday cancelled and big Jeff asked me to perform," Tripp says excitedly. He is always excited at any chance he gets to play his music.

Maisie doesn't share in his excitement, not like she usually does years ago. In fact, at the moment she is mad.

"The bar has been packed this past few days, we never know who might be in the crowd when I perform this night."

There he is again being hopeful, Maisie tries to control her eyes from rolling. She wants to say that nothing will happen tonight just as nothing has been happening other nights he has performed at the bar.

But then she suddenly feels guilty that she had that thought in the first place but then, she is finding it hard to be his number one fan as she is expected to be.

If it was four or three years ago, Maisie would have jumped into his arms and place kisses on his face as she tells him it's great and she hopes someone recognizes his talent.

"Well, I need you here tonight. So promise you are going to make it for dinner." Maisie sternly says

Tripp looks at her dumbfounded with his brush in his mouth. He is trying to figure out if she didn't hear what he just said about his music. "I promise." He finally says.

That's all Maisie needed to hear for her to finally stand up from the toilet seat.

~~~

"What songs are you playing tonight?" Adeline asks as she cleans the wooden tables of the bar.

"I won't be performing tonight," Tripp says from the bar as he restocks drinks on the shelf.

Adeline walks to the bar counter with a damp cloth and vinegar in her hands. She stops in front of him. "Why not? You were so excited about it yesterday night."

"I have to go home early tonight, I have to attend to something." He says, trying to look as non-chalent as possible.

"You are kidding, right? Do you see how this place has been packed this past week? You never know who will be listening." She states dropping her cleaning tools on the counter.

Tripp tries to suppress a smile that is emerging on his cheeks as a result of her enthusiasm. "I know, but I really should  go home."

"Cancel whatever you have planned. Come on, I invited all my friends to come to watch you and also Axel's friend, who just started his own record label."

Axel is Adeline's asshole of a boyfriend, right now, Tripp does not think of him as an asshole, since he is bringing who needs tonight.

"A record label you say?" Tripp raises an eyebrow up.

He knows that this feeling should get old, the excitement that he feels when he gets opportunities that will help his musical career since his excitement is usually met with disappointment. But here he is, still having this flutter of hope in his chest as he mentally prays tonight should be hit for him.

Adeline smirks knowing she finally convinced him. "Yes." She says slowly.

"I guess, I can sing one song," Tripp mutters.

"Great," Adeline claps. "Start with my personal favourites."

~~~

Maisie's eyes go to the door when she hears a knock. She quickly turns off the gas and head to the door.

She hopes it's Tripp, she needs help setting up the table and she basically just need him to be here for emotional support which she knows she will need.

Maisie sweeps the strands of hairs coming out from her ponytail to the back before she unlocks the door and twists the doorknob to open it.

Although it's not the person she is expecting at the moment, a big smile spreads across her face as she sees her sister. 

She takes a quick scan of Daisy, she looks pretty much the same. Silk, long dirty blonde hair, brown eyes, high cheekbones, perfect face and long legs. One thing about Daisy, she never looks anything short of perfect.

Maisie stretches her arm wide as she draws Daisy in for a hug. It's an uncomfortable hug that didn't go on unnoticed by the sisters.

Daisy releases herself from the hug. "Hey," She says adjusting her backpack.

"Hey," Maisie says with a slight wave, at the point, she notices the pumpkin pie that Daisey is holding in her hand. "You didn't have to," Massie says with a smile, gesturing at the pie.

"Oh," Daisy looks down at the pie, remembring she is holding something. She hands it over to Maisie. "Mum made it, she said I should say I bought it from a supermarket but once you have a taste of it, you will definitely know it's mum. Well, that's if you can still remember the taste."

Maisie's heart warms at the idea of her mum making the pie. She misses her cooking. "Of course I can still remember," Maisie says looking down at it with a big smile on her face.

She looks up at her sister who's standing in front of her awkwardly. "Oh, come on in," Maisie says ushering her into the house.

Daisy's eyes move around, to scan the small apartment. All she can think of is how the apartment is almost the exact size of their bedroom back at home. Maisie watches her sister, she can see the condescending look on her face but she doesn't care.

All that matters right now is that she gets to spend time with her little sister. Build a bond they never had.

"Your apartment looks cute." Daisy says with a small smile. "You stay here with your boyfriend?"

She has never called Tripp by this name, and it always pisses Maisie off. "Tripp, yeah. He is joining us for dinner tonight." Maisie says closing the door. "Where the fuck is he?" She thinks.

~~~

They had the most awkward dinner. Small talks here and there, it's like they are strangers. Maisie is so pissed at Tripp, he was supposed to be here hours ago. He knew how important this diner was to her and he didn't show up.

They are currently sitting on the couch eating their pumpkin pie in silence.

"You guys don't have a television?" Daisy asks dropping her disposable plate on the floor close to where she is sitting.

"No, we don't watch it much so..." Maisie replies, trying to make it sound like it was an option.

It wasn't, having a television wasn't a necessity, so they never got one.

"Well, I can give you my Netflix password, if you want." She offers.

"No, thanks," Masies says quickly before even processing the offer.

She doesn't know why she didn't accept the offer, it will be nice to have something to watch.

The room goes silent again for a second before Maisie speaks, in an attempt to continue the conversation.

"So, any boyfriend I should know about?"

"Girlfriend." Daisy corrects her.

"Oh," Maisie says taken a back for a second. "that's cool."

"I am kidding." Daisy says rolling her eyes which Maisie ignores.

"Of course you are," Maisie mutters to her self as she takes a bite of her pie.

"I am leaving early tomorrow morning, I have lots of assignments." Daisy uses her regular excuse.

Maisie sighs. "If you don't want to hang out with me, don't. You don't have to lie or gives excuses. Because I am tired of trying-"

"Trying?" Daisy stands up. "Oh, I should care because the almighty Maisie is trying." She mocks.

"That's not fair," Maisie says.

"Do you know what's not fair? You leaving us. You leaving me." Tears welling up in Daisy eyes, "I wasn't even relevant enough to be included in your runaway letter. Do you know how that feels?" Her voice starts breaking.

Maisie wrote a quick letter before she left with Tripp years back. She apologized to her parents for the heartbreak she will cause and how she was grateful for every they have done for her.

She hasn't thought about the letter in years until now. The truth is, she didn't know what to write to Daisy.

"I am-"

Daisy interrupts her. "I was the first person to find the letter and I read it countless times. I read in between the lines to find something that's for me. Maybe, just maybe you thought of me for a second."

Daisy and Maisie were never close, they are polar opposites. Daisy is the perfect daughter, straight A's, captain of the cheerleading squad and popular. She made being brilliant cool.

And Maisie, she was just known as Daisy's sister. She lived under her little sister shadows. She wasn't that smart, didn't get heads turning as she walked by.

She swears that the time her parents started noticing her was when she started dating Tripp. That's when they had her time.

Not giving Maisie a chance to talk, she continues. "I look around this house and I am more pissed. Because I hoped everything you did would have been worth it, maybe I'll be less mad." Daisy shakes her head. "But no, you live in a house that's as small as a closet with your fucking boyfriend who doesn't bother to show up for dinner. I am pissed."

Daisy stops and looks at Maisie in the eyes, "Let me ask one question, was it worth it?"

~~~~